Providing a solution to the customer’s sensor requirements not only
requires high-performance sensor chips. In most cases sensor signals
needs to be amplified, filtered, compensated and processed in various
ways. Several types of sensors often work together, e.g. in our inertial
navigation systems. Furthermore, the application places many tough
requirements on the sensor systems in terms of size, weight, power
consumption, temperature etc. Imego’s electronics design team has
expertise in all the necessary areas.
Analog front-end
The world is analog and so are most sensor signals. Careful design of the
analog parts of the electronics is of paramount importance to preserve
information in complex signals. Selecting the right amplifiers and
analog-to-digital converters for the application is an important task.
When required, we also design our own application specific integrated
circuits (ASICs). Electromagnetic interference, temperature effects and
signal integrity are examples of issues that need to be addressed in an
appropriate way.
Digital signal processing
Most applications require that the sensor signals are processed, stored
or transmitted in digital form. We frequently use programmable logic
(FPGAs) or mixed-signal ASICs for demanding, real-time processing tasks.
Some sensors, e.g. gyroscopes, require advanced real-time feedback
algorithms to achieve maximum performance. Most systems also use one or
more microcontrollers to provide all the functions required in a complete
sensor system.
Data transmission
Sensor data is often transferred to a computer or a PDA for further
processing or presentation. Depending on the application requirements,
data can be stored on memory cards or transferred wirelessly via
Bluetooth or WLAN. Many sensor nodes can be connected in a mesh network,
e.g. on a construction site, using a ZigBee network. Data can also be
transferred via the Internet.
Power Supply
All electronics need power and our micro-systems often need to have their
own power source in the form of a rechargeable battery. Different battery
technologies all have their own properties and the selection must be made
based on the requirements of the specific application.
Environment
Many of our customers work in areas that put our sensor systems in harsh
environments. Our electronics need to meet the requirements in respect of
variables such as temperature or mechanical endurance which can occur in
industries like mining or steel plants.
Laboratories
Imego is well equipped for effective prototyping and verification of
designs. Our laboratories contain everything from PCB milling machines to
logic and network analyzers.